GM Ideas from CAMEX100

With the fall term well underway, most campus stores are now looking to refresh their general merchandise assortment with new products.

You might glean some ideas from Shelly Schrimpf, assistant director of campus retail and licensing, Lope Shop, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ. She prowled the CAMEX100 trade show floor in New Orleans for products she thought would especially resonate with her student customers and shared her finds in a Speedy Sprint session at CAMEX.

Schrimpf is slated to host a similar session at CAMEX24 in Savannah. In response to requests from last year’s attendees, NACS is looking for a way for Schrimpf to get a sneak peek at merchandise while the show is being set up, so that the session can be held before the show opens.

Take a look at her top picks from CAMEX100.

Toysmith toys—Fun things such as a fidget widget shaped like a Rubik’s Cube and a tossable dragon are good to help students “feel safe or to relax because they’re stressed,” Schrimpf noted. “My fave thing is a stretchy pink pig called Pulled Pork. It’s like a Stretch Armstrong.”

Meta[L] Morphose mini keychains—They come in a variety of shapes, such as a tiny coffee cup. “Cute things that help people relax or just disconnect from the world for a few,” she commented.

Kikkerland kits—“I thought this stuff was cute to just put up by the registers or in a section,” Schrimpf said. The Gentleman’s Beard Kit, for example, has a comb, trimming scissors, and beard oil. Other kits feature nail care, tech tools, sewing, emergency power, first aid, eyeglass repair, and earbud cleaning.

Society 43 sunglasses—The company makes limited-edition batches of sunglasses with the school name or logo. Each pair is numbered and comes with a card of authenticity. Schrimpf planned to order some to celebrate GCU’s anniversary.

Glam Fanz beaded bracelets—“Very boho chic,” Schrimpf said of the jewelry, which come in school colors.

Everything Comfy softgoods—Logos can be placed on the blankets, towels, bedspreads, and slippers (with outdoor-friendly hard bottoms). “They also have baby shoes,” Schrimpf said. “Everybody needs a good baby slipper. They sell well.”

The Duck Company tee shirts—The company creates offbeat originals from your school’s logo and name, incorporating such things as aliens and cats. “They’ll take your mascot and make The Dude [from the cult classic, The Big Lebowski] out of it,” she said.

Pens, Etc. colorful school supplies—“They got on the pastel kick,” Schrimpf noted, with pastel-hued items ranging from binders to Sharpies. Journaling kits also come in “fun colors,” she added. She also liked the upright pen and pencil cases with animal heads (an audience member noted that she promotes these items as holders for makeup brushes). “Sometimes it’s really hard to bring in cool and exciting supplies to the arena because a pen’s a pen and a highlighter’s a highlighter,” she said.

Santoki school supplies—“The pens that stack together were amazing,” she said. The Lego keychains and lanyards also caught her eye, especially the one with a nurse figure whose feet light up when squeezed. “I thought that was supercool and actually functional for nursing,” Schrimpf added.

Punchkins stuffies—Each one features an everyday item sporting a face and feet, with a clever saying, such as a cupcake with “Life is better with sprinkles” or Schrimpf’s favorite, an avocado stating “I’m the good fat.” A few off-color ones were also available. “Kids need a little fun sometimes,” she said.

Freestyle cameras—“I had no idea cameras and film were a thing. What?!” Schrimpf declared. “I got used to using my phone and the young people tell me, ‘No, we use cameras now.’ I can’t keep up.” Freestyle cameras are similar to the old Kodak models, using traditional rolls of film. “Which need developing,” Schrimpf pointed out. “Everybody open a side hustle on your campus.”

Organize Me pods—Organizational pods can fold flat when not in use. A storage foot stool has a lid that can flip over to become a chess or checkers board. The interior has compartments or can be converted to a computer stand. “It’s like an 80-in-one thing. I thought it’s really good for college rooms. That’s a space saver,” she said.

Town Pride softgoods—A variety of items are available in school colors, including tee shirts and supersoft blankets. Fabric tote bags feature fun words and phrases. They also create pillows in the shape of a state, with a face and feet (which can be customized with the school name).

Vibe Tumblers—The portable beverage tumblers can light up on the bottom.